Writing Exercise - Shadorma

As some of you may be aware, I’m currently compiling an anthology of poetry, Coming Together: In Verse.  The call for submissions is listed here: http://ashleylisterauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/call-for-submissions-coming-together-in.html

For those of you wanting to submit, but lacking inspiration or ideas, below you’ll find one of the poetry writing exercises I’ve previously shared on the blog for the Erotic Readers and Writers Association (http://erotica-readers.blogspot.co.uk). I'm going to try and share them here on a weekly basis until we reach the deadline date.

The shadorma is something of an enigma. Authorities are unsure about its ancestry. Is it an overlooked Spanish form that has been around for ages? Or is it a relatively new innovation that has been brought to us in the guise of something with a history?

These questions won’t be answered here. This is partly because I’m not clever enough to know how to respond but mainly, because I don’t care one way or the other. Whether it’s ancient or modern, the shadorma is a fun poetic form that’s worth the time and effort of any writer wanting to stretch literary muscles with a brief warmup exercise. To my mind, this is the only detail worth considering with regards to any poetic form.

I don’t want
your lace-topped stockings
black thong or
fuck-me shoes.
I just want you without your
designer labels.

The shadorma is a six lines stanza made up of lines that contain 3-5-3-3-7-5 syllables respectively. There is no fixed rhyme scheme. A shadorma can consist of a single stanza, or the form can be used to produce a longer poem with multiple stanzas.

Sad to say

despite best efforts

(replacing

batteries

shaking it ‘til it wobbles)

the rabbit is dead.

Take comfort
or consolation
from this fact:
that rabbit
died doing what he loved best.
His last words were, “buzz.”

The shadorma can be a lot of fun and, as with all poetic forms, it’s a great way to discipline your writing muscles. The majority of online material discussing this form reiterates the need for six unrhymed lines in the format of 3-5-3-3-7-5 syllables.

If you do want to submit to the current anthology, information can be found on: http://ashleylisterauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/call-for-submissions-coming-together-in.html